'Debacle' spells victory and defeat in spelling bee

 

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

 

 

JONESBORO, Ark. - Sixth-grader Morgan Sims knew how to spell "debacle," but she got an unfortunate lesson on its meaning when her northern Arkansas school district forgot a spelling bee entry fee.

 

 

 

Morgan correctly spelled "debacle" - meaning failure, in an often ludicrous way - to win the Craighead County Spelling Bee on Friday, taking home the first-place trophy and a $200 savings bond.

 

 

 

But her school forgot to pay a $100 per-building entry fee to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, said Craighead County School District co-ordinator Sandra Taylor.

 

 

 

The upfront fee is optional for the county bee but is required to advance to the state competition.

 

 

 

"She won the county. I'm proud of that," superintendent George Edd Holland told The Jonesboro Sun newspaper. "It's unfortunate she can't compete at the next level.

 

 

 

He didn't know why the junior high building was the only one registered. "I was caught off guard. I assumed we were fully eligible," Holland said. He added all buildings will be from now on.

 

 

 

Morgan, who attends Buffalo Island Central's West Elementary School, told the newspaper she was excited for her victory after making the second round in the county bee last year.

 

 

 

"I was here last year and was hoping to win. I'm so glad I did," she said.

 

 

 

The second-place finisher is heading to the state competition instead. Elizabeth Kaffka, a fifth-grader at Valley View Intermediate, seemed a bit blase about her sudden turn of fortunes.

 

 

 

"I think I will spend the rest of the day playing my video games," she said after the contest. "Maybe Pokemon."

 

 

 

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2 ... 36-ap.html

 

 

 

I fell on the floor lmfao at that last part. :lol: Have you ever partaken in a spelling bee before? I haven't, but I did learn a new word today. Debacle.

I haven't participated in one myself, but my teacher has a funny story about losing one. He was from Montana, and had recently moved to a different state. One of the opening words was "bagel", and he had never heard of a bagel before; apparently they're not common in Montana. :lol: So he spelled it "bagle" and lost. :P

 

 

 

Edit: In before "im gud at speelin lolz"

I fail so bad at spelling bees. We used to have to do them at school. The word I spelled wrong was bandanna. :cry:

i suck at spelling, and we were forced to compete :( there is only 1 time i remember where i spelled my word right only to get the next word wrong :( i hate spelling bees

Edit: In before "im gud at speelin lolz"

 

 

 

DAMN!

 

 

 

We don't have Spelling Bees in Australia, well, i've never heard of anyone getting in one, or one being held. :-k

I don't see the point of them. Nerves can get in the way of rational thinking at the best of times.

I fail so bad at spelling bees. We used to have to do them at school. The word I spelled wrong was bandanna. :cry:

 

 

 

bandana*

 

 

 

 

 

i won a spelling bee once, in like 4th grade, then i placed second in 8th grade, because i was totally epically nervous and stuttered a bit, the judges thought i said "volunteeered" instead of volunteered. i was like ._.

When I was in 6th-8th grade my school had a spelling be each year with a few other Catholic schools in the area. On my very first spelling bee I skipped 2 basketball practices to study only to get the first word "undertow" wrong (I spelled it undertoe. What an idiot.). On my second spelling bee in 7th grade I got to the last few rounds before misspelling "drowsiness" (I spelled it with a Z instead of s)

I was in one in 8th grade. Won our schools spelling bee. Went to the county one and didn't really want to be there and threw my first word so I could go home and go out. Spelling bees are bad ideas on Saturday. I got some laughs though.

Never been part of one let alone heard of one in Ireland. Don't think they're worthwhile either, doesn't measure intelligence to a certain extent and isn't a great form of competition either.

I came in second in 1st grade (I spelt rectangle wrong... apparently...), and have never done one since. Waste of time after elementary school, I think (at least locally).

 

 

 

And to the story, DEBACLE. although something tells me I'm using it wrong...

With modern technology who gives a damn if you can spell :D .

Only spelling thing I've ever done is the usual school spelling test from primary school (elementary to you yanks), and ones where it's part of a larger series of tests. I generally do fine though I've make the couple of odd slips. But yeah, with modern technology, this will probably become less of an issue.

what kind of topic is this. ihaven't read it yet

 

but i now it must be stupid.

what kind of topic is this. ihaven't read it yet

 

but i now it must be stupid.

 

I can tell you would have a hard time in a spelling bee.

 

You might want to actually read the topic before you post as well, it helps a little bit.

 

;)

Autocorrect > Spelling Good :D

 

 

 

I'd never enter, I can only spell when I can write down the word.

With modern technology who gives a damn if you can spell :D .

 

Exactly.

 

 

 

Spelling Bee's are a waste of time unless you're under 10 and trying to get your entire university life planned out.

Off-topic:

 

 

 

what kind of topic is this. ihaven't read it yet

 

but i now it must be stupid.

 

 

 

Criticism

 

 

 

We are all criticized. Period! Don't go crying if someone says you were stupid or if what you posted was stupid. It's the internet for goodness sake! Take everything with a grain of salt!

 

I will take this comment with a grain of salt! :D

I was in one once. I got forced into it because I accidentally did too well on some test we had to take to see if we were good spellers. I spelled the first word I got as wrong as I possibly could for lols.

I was in one this year. I forfeited because I didn't wanna go through with the bull crap. \

 

 

 

Funny thing is, the words were amazingly easy. I would've won that easily if I didn't forfeit. I just went before it started, said, "I quit." and left.

 

 

 

Apparently one of the hardest words was "bachelor." #-o

 

 

 

I'm beginning to worry about the future of Florida's children.

 

 

 

I was in one once. I got forced into it because I accidentally did too well on some test we had to take to see if we were good spellers. I spelled the first word I got as wrong as I possibly could for lols.

 

 

 

I was going to do that. I should have. :(

 

 

 

But yeah, I only got in because of some spelling test I had no idea would get me into the Spelling Bee.

She made the right choice. Pokemon really is more constructive than perfect spelling.

What isn't pokemon more constructive than?

She made the right choice. Pokemon really is more constructive than perfect spelling.

 

pokemon tought me to read.

 

that and zelda.

When I was in elementary school, they figured out who would be in the spelling bee with a spelling test given to everyone in the school. I qualified both years I was there, but refused to take part. Now I content myself with shooting them from my hands.

My friend spelled noodle wrong -.-